The present invention relates to a quilting machine with variable-spacing stitchers.
It is known that a quilting machine comprises a cloth supporting carriage and a plurality of stitchers which quilt the cloth according to a preset pattern.
In quilting machines, the cloth supporting carriage and the stitchers perform relative movements which allow the sewing needle to move on the cloth with two degrees of freedom in order to form a line of stitches that follows the intended path.
In quilting machines, the stitchers are mounted on a frame which comprises a first beam which lies above the cloth and a second beam which is parallel to the first beam and lies below the cloth.
The first beam supports a guide for the sewing head of the stitcher, while the second beam supports a guide for the so-called hook assembly.
In order to allow the sewing needle to act in cooperation with the hook assembly, mechanical transmissions and/or electrical connections are provided so that the sewing needle moves in step, and in perfect vertical alignment, with the hook assembly during its movements over the cloth.
Conventional quilting machines have operating limitations when it is necessary to manage a plurality of stitchers operating independently of each other so that each one follows an individual path. Because of these difficulties, the stitchers are mostly rigidly connected to each other and can follow only parallel paths.